The index rebounded from December, which saw a slight decrease of 0.3%. It is up 8.8% over January 2017, beating the previous month’s 7.5% year-over year increase.

“Last month’s gain in tonnage fit with the anecdotal reports we have been hearing from fleets – that freight was solid in what is typically a softer month,” said Bob Costello, ATA chief economist. “With the economy strong, the drivers of truck freight solid, and the inventory cycle in favor of motor carriers, I expect freight tonnage to remain robust in the months ahead.”

Trucking can serve as a measurement for the U.S. economy as a whole, according to ATA, as it represents 70.6% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled nearly 10.5 billion tons of freight in 2016 and carriers brought in $676 billion, or 79.8% of the total revenue earned by all transport modes.

Explaining the need to restructure, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG Manfred Bischoff said that it is necessary to achieve the company’s “ambition to be a leader in the new era of mobility."

A. Duie Pyle is one of the first motor carriers in the U.S. to add all-electric Fuso eCanter medium-duty trucks to its fleet. HDT talked to the Northeast LTL about why these trucks are a great fit for its Bronx Service Center.

McLeod’s newest version of its LoadMaster transportation software, Version 19.1, marks the debut of LoadMaster Driver Choice, a tool fleets can use to better match loads and drivers, as well as a new Trip Management module.

The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association announced the three winners of its 2019 Hauling Job of the Year Awards for demonstrating exceptional organization, skill and commitment to safety while meeting the industry’s most complicated challenges.